


Ears and What They Mean

by elyus



Category: Dragon Ball
Genre: Everyone is an idiot, Fluff, Idiots in Love, M/M, Rare Pairings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-12
Updated: 2020-10-12
Packaged: 2021-03-08 05:21:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,091
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26966626
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elyus/pseuds/elyus
Summary: Goku runs into his archenemy at a bad time. Piccolo has expressive ears.Set post-DB and pre-Z, before Piccolo's redemption.
Relationships: Chi-Chi/Son Goku (Dragon Ball), Piccolo/Son Goku (Dragon Ball)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 49





	Ears and What They Mean

He was certain that the man he was watching was also watching him. The cliffs were far away enough, and he was concealing his aura, but Piccolo was no amateur. It’d be easier to just walk out into the open and acknowledge either other’s presence. Goku weighed the odds. 

It was not that Goku was against the idea of combat. Here and now were in fact, quite decent options. The shadow of rematch had loomed on the horizon ever since his close victory. He constantly felt the inevitable battle’s gravitational pull. Under normal circumstances, he’d rather it happened out here, far from the cities and civilians. 

It was just a bad time for him, personally. 

The months following the tournament were peaceful. He had settled down with Chichi, and now, they had a child on the way. 

“Dammit, I should’ve gone the other direction.” Goku thought. “I just wanted some weird fruits that she had a hankering for. Now I have to fight him.” 

He took a leap and landed on the treetop. 

“What do people say in situations like this?” Goku wondered.

“Hey,” he said, rather awkwardly. 

The Demon King was hovering before him in a flash. Speed was definitely part of the implicit threat, and trees way behind him all stirred in the resulting wind. Goku didn’t flinch, but admittedly he was a bit impressed. He noted that Piccolo seemed taller than before, though the young demon still did not stand quite as towering as the old King Piccolo. 

Piccolo stared down at Goku. The corner of his lips tightened and formed a grimaced that revealed sharp canine teeth. Goku felt tempted to point out that he looked like an especially unpleasant shark. 

“Did you really think spying on me was a good idea?” Piccolo demanded.

“Man, you really flatter yourself.” Goku grinned lazily, and intentionally. “I’m just passing through. How do I know you’re not following me?” 

This seemed to annoy Piccolo like a charm. “And why would I follow you, human?” His eyes narrowed.

“Because you want a rematch?” 

“Following you is a waste of time and beneath me, but you make a good point – your demise is long overdue.” 

“I see you’ve been training,” Goku quickly said. 

“I need some time to think this through,” He thought miserably. “It’s not the worst time, but if I get hurt like in the last match, Chichi is going to be really upset…and that’s not good for the baby? But what else is not good for babies? Almost definitely a world where Piccolo runs amok. Ah...what should I do?” 

“Your ki feels stronger,” he managed to add. “And you’re pretty tall now, huh? How tall can demons get? Do you have any idea? I think the last guy was taller, but I guess I was kinda short when I was 15…” 

“Enough blabbering,” Piccolo said. He eyed Goku with suspicion. 

“I’ve been training hard, too.” Goku just pushed on. “Look.” 

He took off his gi and threw it aside. 

When he looked up, he thought that something in the demon’s expression had changed, but he was not quite sure what. Piccolo seemed almost taken aback, and his face did look a bit…purple. “Is he blushing?” Goku thought. “Nah.” 

“What games are you playing, human.” 

“Name’s Son Goku, you oughta have learned it by now.” Goku snapped. 

“I see,” Piccolo laughed. “You’re stalling, because you’re worried about your woman and unborn child.” 

This time it was Piccolo who pushed a wrong button. 

“And you say following me is beneath you,” Goku said. “If you so much as come near my family, I swear I will end you.” 

“Rest assured,” Piccolo kept smirking. “I would not sink so low.” 

“I’ve seen you sink lower.” Goku said darkly. 

“Well, trust me or don’t trust me. It wouldn’t matter when you’re dead.” There was an inkling of something in the demon’s tone, and again, Goku was muddled. 

“Ah, wait.” Realization suddenly dawned on him. “I’ve not heard anything about you for the entire year. You’ve not been up to anything bad at all?” 

“I…” 

Was that a pause? 

“I have greater plans than you couldn’t ever begin to understand,” Piccolo blurted, almost too quickly. “The world will be mine, sooner or later. Death and destruction can wait.” 

But Goku was not paying attention. He was looking at the Demon King’s pointy ears. They just lowered a bit all by themselves. 

“Weird,” Goku thought. “I wonder what else do they do?” 

“What are you staring at?” Piccolo said in annoyance, but before he could fully register, the damn human took a giant step forward, reached out and –

“I didn’t know you could do that,” Goku said, amused. He gently touched the demon’s ears. They were kind of soft, and warm. “Why are they down here? What does it mean?” 

“What…”

“They kind of remind me of dog ears. Do they just flop up and down with how you feel?” 

“You’re mad,” Piccolo backed away in one violent jerk. 

Goku blinked. “Guess I kinda lost track of the conversation there.” 

“You’ve lost track of your goddamn mind.” 

“'Kay,” Goku nodded. “Oh, look. They’re up again.” 

Piccolo was getting more purple by the minute. “Yea, that was definitely a blush,” Goku thought. 

“Why, you…I will destroy you.” Piccolo spat. 

“Um, that was established before.” 

“Ugh...damnit. Just you wait.” 

“Where is he going?” Goku stared at Piccolo in bewilderment, as the demon backed further and further away, until he turned and flew off, cursing under his breath the entire time. 

Goku stood there for a bit. When he was certain that Piccolo was gone, he went and grabbed his shirt. 

Twenty minutes later, he was home. 

“Hey, Chichi. How’s it going?” 

“Good,” Chichi poked her head out from the kitchen. “Just making lunch.”

“Great!” He leaned in and kissed her on the forehead. 

Goku considered telling her about what just happened, but quickly thought better of it. 

“Um, Chichi.” 

“Yea?”

“Do you know what it means when dogs have their ears all floppy?”

“Hmmm,” Chichi thought for a minute. “I never had a dog, but I think it means that they’re feeling down or have their feelings hurt, right?” 

“Huh…that’s…interesting.”

“What, did you see a cute dog?” 

“No,” Goku contemplated for a bit. “It wasn’t really cute. It kinda looked like, a very unpleasant shark.” 

“That…doesn’t sound like a dog…oh, wait, Goku?” 

“Uhuh?”

“Did you get the stuff like I asked you to?”

“Aw crap, I totally forgot.”

**Author's Note:**

> I got burned out writing a much longer and more serious serial, so I wrote this.


End file.
